


sorry did i just s-stutter?

by intertwiningwords



Category: IT (2017)
Genre: ASL, American Sign Language, Deaf Character, Deaf Eddie Kaspbrak, Getting Together, M/M, Sign Language, Speech Disorders, deaf!eddie, meeting online, stutter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-02
Updated: 2018-10-02
Packaged: 2019-07-23 23:35:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16169084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/intertwiningwords/pseuds/intertwiningwords
Summary: bill and eddie meet online, but have never called before. they each have their reasons why.





	sorry did i just s-stutter?

**Author's Note:**

> based off of this amazing short film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m_VTZR5MU0
> 
> disclaimer: i am not deaf nor do i have a speech impediment so if i said anything incorrect or offensive PLEASE (politely) inform me and i will edit accordingly!

Bill Denbrough was hit by a car when he was five years old. After that, he started stuttering. No matter how many tongue twisters and rhymes he practiced saying, no matter how hard he tried, it only seemed to get worse. Even speech therapy didn’t help much.

He decided to just  _ stop talking _ around the age of eleven. His stutter had basically destroyed his social life because he refused to open his mouth unless absolutely, positively necessary. Even then, he found loopholes; writing notes, or using sign language, which he taught himself, to communicate whenever possible.

Even as a twenty-year-old, he still rarely ever spoke. He usually lied, making the excuse that he was deaf so that people would leave him alone. Or, he just avoided leaving home unless he had no choice. At home, he couldn’t even call the bank about his credit card because they’d just hang up on him, thinking that the call was breaking up. Unlike many other people his age, he much preferred automated call systems

He’d moved to New York City when he graduated school, seeking something new and exciting, and going somewhere that nobody knew him. He missed his parents, sure, and his little brother a lot more than them.

He called sometimes because Georgie was the only person Bill felt comfortable speaking out loud to. He’d read his brother the stories and poems he wrote over FaceTime, and he’d listen patiently, even when it took him a while to spit the words out.

Along with his social life, Bill’s love life was non-existent.

Well, it had been, until the day he got a message on Tumblr.

 

**eddiespaghetti:**

hey! sorry to bother you … i don’t normally do things like this, but i’ve followed you for a while now and i love your writing. you seem really, really cool and i was just wondering if you wanted to chat sometime, or something … feel free to ignore this if you’re not interested. - eddie x

 

Bill stared at the screen in disbelief. Never,  _ ever _ in his life had he received a message like that, or had anyone who paid him enough mind to try.

He blinked a few times, trying to bring himself back to reality, because surely it was just a very vivid, odd daydream. But no, the message was still there.

Should he reply?

No, surely it was a prank or a porn bot blog that was going to hack his computer.

No, the message was too specific to be a bot, and he couldn’t think of anyone who would want to prank him in such a cruel way.

If the person in the icon on the blog was this so-called “Eddie”...he was cute as shit. He had big brown eyes and a few light freckles on the bridge of his nose and the sweetest smile Bill had ever seen.

He was going to reply. What was the harm? If it was a bot or a joke, oh well. He’d rather know he seized an opportunity once in his life than always wonder if he made the right choice.

 

**b-b-b-bill:**

hi! you’re not bothering me at all. that really means a lot, thank you so much! i’d love to talk; you seem really sweet. 

 

And the messages kept coming. They didn’t disappear suddenly or turn creepy and stalkerish and they didn’t prove to be some fucked up prank. Eddie seemed genuine and kind, and they exchanged phone numbers and started texting on a daily basis.

The usual ‘good morning’ and ‘good night’ texts, the ‘how are you?’ and ‘what’s up?’ were also littered with talks about films, literature, poetry, photography, anything that piqued their interests. They were similar people with similar views and opinions and interests.

It felt too good to be true.

The dudes from Catfish would probably consider the fact that they never voice-called or FaceTimed a huge red flag, but Bill hadn’t mentioned his stutter in any conversation so far. Neither of them had suggested a call. And Bill hated to say he was glad.

As much as he wanted to hear Eddie’s voice, he couldn’t stand the idea of having to speak aloud, to watch his face fall as Bill struggled to get the words out. He didn’t want to ruin something so good so soon.

Months went by of texts, memes, a bit of flirting, and enjoying one another’s digital company until Eddie sent a message that almost stopped Bill’s heart.

 

**eddie ♥:** hey!! so i’m going to nyc on a work trip next week...i didn’t know if it was a sure thing or not so i didn’t wanna say anything and get your hopes up and have it not happen. i was wondering since we’re going to be in the same city … would you like to meet up sometime?

 

Fuck. Oh, fuck, fuck. He couldn’t do it. The idea of facing this adorable boy whom he’d gotten to know so well and opening his mouth, unable to get a word out and looking like a freak...It terrified him.

He put his phone down, locking his screen

And he left the message on read as he laid in bed, staring at the ceiling, his brain unable to shut up as he considered every possible scenario that could take place.

He woke to several texts from Eddie, clearly hurt at being ignored.

 

**eddie ♥:** ??

**eddie ♥:** did i say something wrong? i didn’t mean to pressure you, i just figured we’ve been talking for so long ...

**eddie ♥:** i’m sorry

 

Bill took a deep breath, rubbing the sleep from his eyes before he began typing, hitting send before he could stop himself. “You have nothing to apologize for .. I just got freaked out because I’m nervous but I would love to meet you. Name a time and place”

He spent all his free time during the next few days practicing: “Hi, Eddie, I’m Bill. It’s so nice to finally meet you.” It came out butchered and a little breathless as he powered through the sentences, but it would have to do.

He bought flowers, then put them in a trash bin as he walked towards the subway, then ran back for them before descending the stairs. He messed with his hair, unbuttoned and buttoned his cardigan over and over...He was so  _ nervous _ but almost equally giddy.

They’d arranged to meet in a park, and as Bill stood at the crosswalk waiting, he saw him.

Shorter than Bill had imagined, cheeks rosy.

Before they could meet eyes, a man sitting at an outdoor table for a restaurant tapped his shoulder.

And Bill’s face lit up as he watched Eddie turn around, clearly having not heard the man address him, and raised his hands to sign: “I’m Deaf, sorry”.

The man at the table apologized, exaggerating the shape of his mouth as if that would make it easier to be understood. Newsflash: it didn’t.

When Eddie turned back, Bill met his eyes and smiled.

Eddie smiled back.

Bill raised his hand to sign “hello”.

And Eddie’s eyes widened in pleasant surprise. “It’s nice to meet you,” he signed.

“You too,” Bill replied.

And as Bill crossed the street to pull the shorter man into his arms, he couldn’t have been happier.

What a perfect match they were.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed it! feedback is always appreciated in the form of comments or kudos :)


End file.
